Ettore Bugatti has been variously represented as intuitive engineering
genius, temperamental artist, freethinker, and patron of the arts of good living and good
driving. It is doubtful if any of these several reputations is not exaggerated, but it
would be more than unjust to suggest that Bugatti be dismissed as the first quantity
producer of over-the-counter racing cars.

Admittedly the design of the Type-35 was strongly influenced by
marketing considerations and admittedly the larger number of racing victories attributed
to the machine were gained in minor events by amateurs. Devoted calculators have
established that the Type-35 won a total of more than 800 events. Nevertheless the
Type-35, together with the Type-51 which was derived from the Type-35 and resembled it
very closely in everything except the cylinder head, won at least 35 road races of major
importance in the span of seven years from 1927 through 1934.

The model exhibited here is a conversion of the Monogram Bugatti
Type-35B in 1/24th scale. It represents the 1930 Grand Prix of Monaco winner
driven by Rene Dreyfus, who entered the privately and defeated the team Bugatti driven by
Louis Chiron.

After his victory Dreyfus was offered a ride with the team and remained with Bugatti
until 1935, when he joined with Tavio Nuvolari to drive for Scuderia Ferrari's Alfa Romeo
team.

It should be noted that the spare tire shown on the model was removed while racing
after 1927 when the riding mechanic eliminated.

Building the model:

The passenger's windshield holes were filled and sanded, then replaced with a rear-view
mirror constructed of card stock and aluminum foil. The driver's windshield was replaced
with one cut from clear sheet styrene.

All fenders, headlights, and taillights were omitted and any placement holes for these
items were filled and sanded. The temperature gauge was cut from the radiator cap as it
was not used in racing setup. The front radiator stone shield was constructed of"
copper wire and milkscreen and cemented into predrilled holes with super glue.

Engine wiring was constructed from stretched sprue and cemented into predrilled holes.
Other tubes and wires were also simulated with stretched sprue.

Buckles for the hood straps and spare tire were cut from sheet plastic and opened up
with an X-acto #11 blade. The straps were cut from auto striping tape and sanded with
400-grit sandpaper to cut down the gloss of the tape.

Exhausts ends were removed and replaced with like-size aluminum tubing. All
brake-operating cables were simulated with very thin stretched sprue.